Architecture and Urbanism: MVRDV’s glass farm

A number of striking new project in issue 511 of A+U. Most fascinating is MVRDV’s Glass Farm.

Japan’s A+U has a keen eye on what is happening in Europe – eight of the ten highlighted projects come from the old continent. Among them: The Princess Elena Auditorium in Spain, by Estudio Barozi Veiga, Billini’s and Riciotti’s Department of Islamic Art in the Louvre and a new centre for Arts and Creativity, by Pitágoras Architects, in Portugal.

But the most fascinating project comes from a small town in Holland – Glass Farm by MVRDV architects. The project was realised in the small town of Schijndel, not coincidentially the place where MVRDV founder Winy Maas grew up. The centre of Schijndel suffered heavy damage during World War II, and Maas has been campaigning since the 1980s to replace a destroyed structure in the center of the square.

Thirty years and six failed proposals later, he has has finally succeeded. By coincidence, the maximum envelope that was defined by the town planners had the form of a traditional farm. That formed the building: a glass farmhouse. The facade of it is covered with images of traditional local farmhouses. Using a fritting technique the architects were able to print the images straight onto the glass, creating the illusion of brick walls and a thatched roof.

Source:

Architecture and Urbanism 511
April 2013 | 136 pages
Language: Japanese and English

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